Top Desktops Available

Desktop computers have come a very long way over the years. They used to be big, boring boxes that took up tons of space, but they have transformed into new, chic, flashy tools that can do almost anything.

The price of a desktop can range from as low as $250 to as high as $5,000. That’s a really big range, so how do you know which desktop will meet all of your needs? Well, here is a list of the top 8 desktops currently on the market. These desktops include all of the features that you could ever need and price tags that won’t break your budget.

Asus All-in-One PC ET2400IGTS-B008E
$1249.99 at Amazon

Some reviews compare this incredible desktop to Apple’s 21-inch iMac. The Asus All-in-One PCET2400IGTS-B008Eoffers a huge touch-sensitive screen, a quad-core processor, USB 3.0 ports, Blu-Ray, 1080p HD, SonicMaster Audio, HDMI, VGA-in, and wireless keyboard, mouse, networking, and IR remote. It does have a bit of bloatware and the apps are not particularly well-integrated, but those really aren’t a big deal in comparison with all of the great features that this has to offer.

Dell Inspiron i580-8139NBC
$499.98 at Staples

The Dell Inspiron i580-8139NBC is an incredible deal. It has a Core i3 processor, HDMI port, no bloatware, and expandability. The big issues are that it doesn’t have USB 3.0 or Wi-Fi. If you’re looking for a nice PC with all of the basic functionalities and a great price, this is the desktop for you.

Dell XPS x8300-5215NBK
$1099.99 at Best Buy

The Dell XPS x8300-5215NBK is considered to be a rather high-end desktop PC. It features high-end 3D graphics, a card retention bracket, HDMI DisplayPort, 8GB of memory, 1.5TB hard drive, and a Second Generation Intel Core processor. One thing that I was very disappointed not to see on this PC was a Blu-Ray player, but all of these other great features seem to make up for it.

Digital Storm Black Ops Enix Edition
Around $3,625

Obviously from the price tag, this desktop is definitely on the high-end list. Most people aren’t usually looking to spend this much money on a gaming desktop, but if you are, this chic PC is a great option. It has incredible performance, Blu-ray, USB 3.0 port, no bloatware, and a great cooling system. One of the biggest issues with this desktop though is that it is not easy to get into and there is no internal upgrade room, but if you can look past these few things and you have the money to spend, this is the gaming desktop for you.

HP Compaq 4000 Pro
Around $550

This is a great value desktop. It doesn’t necessarily have all of the bells and whistles, but it includes everything that you really need. It is compact, offers expansion room (including the space for a second hard drive), and built-in dual monitor support. It doesn’t have TPM, only two memory slots, or any eSATA or DisplayPort. For a fair price, you can get everything that you really need from a desktop.

HP TouchSmart 310-1125y
$699.99 at Best Buy

The TouchSmart 310-1125y offers some incredible features for the price tag. It has an incredibly responsive touchscreen with full touch interface, a wireless keyboard and mouse, and fantastic entertainment options. It does only offer 1,600 x 900 screen resolution and low-powered 3D graphics, but when you consider everything that it has to offer, it is a great entry level touchscreen desktop.

Lenovo IdeaCentre K330-11691AU
$599.99 at Best Buy

The Lenovo IdeaCentre K330-11691AU features up-to-date components that should keep you content with the desktop for as long as 5-7 years. It has a second generation Intel Core i-processor, no bloatware, HDMI, and an incredibly easy to upgrade tool-less interior. It offers some great, new technology that should keep it going for quite some time.

Lenovo ThinkStation C20
Around $4,600

So yes, the Lenovo ThinkStation C20 is quite possibly a bank breaker, but of course, there’s a reason for the high price tag. The desktop includes dual CPU Xeon power, ISV certification for a variety of different professional programs, card retention, and a 3-year warranty. It also is rack mountable, compact, and capable of driving two 30-inch panels simultaneously; however, it still is pricey and offers no USB 3.0 or FireWire.

These are the top desktop computers on the market today. If you're looking for a new, chic desktop PC, you should definitely look into one of the computers above.

Security Camera Solutions

Read More >>

HP Firebird with VoodooDNA 803

Voodoo was recently purchased by HP and this union has resulted in the Blackbird 002 and the Voodoo Envy 133 subnotebook, both of which are Editor's Choice-winning gaming computers. The newest computer to arrive from the company is the HP Firebird with VoodooDNA 803.

This high powered gaming desktop has some unique attributes to it. On interesting thing is that the guts of this desktop have many characteristics similar to those of a notebook. The rig has switchable graphics, the first ever seen on a desktop. It has a distinctive style about it which also incorporates a resemblance to the HP?Voodoo family. This computer comes with a Intel Core 2 Quad processor with 4GB of RAM and and 640GB of storage space. The Firebird runs the nVidia GeForce 9800S SLI graphics card which delivers powerful graphics quality. However, this computer does have a few things that might turn away a serious hard-core PC gamer.

First off, the performance of the device has been a little disappointing to some users. Also, the Firebird has limited upgrade ability which means you better be satisfied with what you get because you are not going to be able to do much to it. There are only two DIMM slots both of which are filled. This means you will need to swap the current 4GB of memory if you want to add more. The Firebird does have two innovative hard drive sleds. Considering they are compact and built well, you will be able to connect and disconnect multiple times. However, both of these slots are filled as well with 320GB drives. This system also lacks a set of PCI/PCIe connectors. This computer kind of resembles a gaming console. All the internal components are permanately attached, except for the memory and the hard drives.

One great thing about this system is that is completely free of anything annoying. For example, it does not come with any trialware programs or ads. The only things that occupy the the hard drives is HP total care for one year, a one year subscription to AVG Professional Anti-Virus Software, and a copy of Cyberlink DVD for the ability to play DVD's and Blu-ray. This computer also comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

The graphics setup for the Firebird is really innovative. It has the NVidia nForce 760s motherboard chipset. Which allows you to switch between power saving intgrated graphics and the two nVidia GeForce 9800s graphics cards. It has a save power mode for video viewing but if you want all the features in Nvidia's PureVideo HD, the discrete graphics need to be turned on.

This computer isn't your average gaming computer. It is a top-of-the-line gaming computer for a reasonable price. It has a nice, sleek design to it and the energy saving capabilities will save you a few needed bucks, especially in today's economy. And the incredible graphics can be turned up whenever you need it to. This computer was going to set you back around $2,099 but is on sale now for $1,299. If you are in the market for a good gaming desktop, the HP FireBird with VoodooDNA 803 is definitely worth a look at, especially if you are looking to save a few bucks.

Read More >>